Effect of the cereal aphid infestation on the oxidative damages of protein in the maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

We studied the effect of the cereal aphid (the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L. and grain aphid Sitobion avenae F.) infestations on the oxidative damages of protein in the maize (Zea mays L., cultivar Touran) seedlings. We found that the content of protein thiols and protein bound carbonyls were dependent from study factors: time of feeding, the number of aphids and species. In relation to uninfested plants (control), prolonged insect (R. padi and S. avenae) feeding (24–96 h post infestations) was linked to depletion in levels of protein thiols in foliar tissues of maize genotype and accumulation after 96 h post infestations in maize seedlings investigated by higher number of aphids, protein bound carbonyls. Our results indicated that the biotic stress factors, including aphids evoke the oxidation of protein in the maize. The stronger protein damages occurred in the maize seedlings infested with oligophagous R .padi females.